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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22697914">Notebooks and glitter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangeNoise/pseuds/StrangeNoise'>StrangeNoise</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Confusion, F/F, First Meetings, First date (of sorts), Fluff, Kissing, Mix-Ups, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:06:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,483</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22697914</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangeNoise/pseuds/StrangeNoise</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chloe is all alone for valentine's day again and trying not to let it get to her. When she and a mysterious stranger accidentally grab the other's bag instead of their own it seems like fate is trying to give her a sign...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Chloe | RT600/North</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hankcon and Other Ships Valentines Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Notebooks and glitter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyBreadsticks/gifts">OhNoMyBreadsticks</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey! This is my entry for the Hankcon and other ships valentine's exchange over on twitter! I hope my giftee and everyone else enjoys it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day Chloe’s life turns to chaos for a short while is valentine’s day of all days. Unlike many others, Chloe actually likes the made-up holiday because she gets to see only happy couples around and is allowed to shower the people she likes in compliments and small gifts for a day without them being able to tell her to stop. The blonde hums cheerfully to herself as she gets up and ready for work. Today, she’s going to craft valentine’s cards with her 3rd grade and she’s looking forward to it a lot. Her students get overly excited easily but they’re often at their best when they get to make something for each other.</p><p>Chloe grabs the bag she had already packed meticulously the night before to make sure she doesn’t forget anything and heads out the door. </p><p>On the way to the nearest subway station, Chloe decides to stop at her favorite coffee stand and buy herself a coffee for the way. The usually mostly deserted stand is almost comically packed today, however. For a second, Chloe wonders if she even has enough time to get a coffee but she’s early and so she gets in line. It takes a while but eventually Chloe is close to the counter. She retrieves her wallet from her bag and then puts the bag down near her feet so it’s easier to grab the coffee once she receives it. Unbeknownst to her, a woman behind her puts her bag down next to Chloe’s. It's the same exact model and color - a simple blue messenger bag with a few extra compartments for whatever one may need. </p><p>Too busy shouting her order to the barista over the people crowding the stand this morning, Chloe isn't paying much attention to her bag. She's suddenly running later than she wants to be and with how crowded the place is today, she might even miss her subway and actually be late for work for the first time ever. Luckily, the guy manning the stand works quickly and efficiently and once Chloe has placed her order it doesn’t take long for her to receive it. She heaves a sigh of relief, stuffs her wallet into the pocket of her jacket and grabs the blue messenger bag off of the floor and hurries to the next subway station.</p><p>On the train to her place of work, all the advertisements on the small overhead screen are valentines themed. Chloe’s glad she likes the holiday and can just enjoy people being happy. Otherwise, she thinks, she might get a little upset that she has to spend the day all alone yet again. Not that it matters but sometimes Chloe wishes she could have someone to spoil with gifts and affection on this particular day of the year. Heaving a sigh, she clutches the bag to her chest and decides to look forward to some relaxed crafting with her students instead of thinking about how lonely she feels sometimes. </p><p> </p><p>Once she reaches the school, Chloe miraculously has enough time left to head to the teachers’ lounge and go through her things one last time to make sure she’s got everything she needs. Chloe looks into the bag and freezes at the sight of only a notepad, a tablet and a handful of pens. This is not her bag; she realizes instantly and with a clarity that makes her freeze all over. Trying not to let panic consume her, she begins to rummage through the bag to see if she can't find any evidence on who this actually belongs to. Her hands are shaking by the time she pulls out a small piece of paper that, luckily, turns out to be a business card. </p><p>The person, who's bag Chloe accidentally took goes by the name "North" and they have added their names on various social media platforms as well as an e-mail address and a phone number. Chloe sighs from relief and sits down at one of the tables around her. Everything just seems that little bit easier to fix now that she knows, who this bag belongs to. Now all she needs to do is contact them so they can exchange their bags once more. </p><p> </p><p><strong> Chloe: </strong> Hello, my name is Chloe. I think I have accidentally taken your bag instead of mine. I would like to give it back. If you are anywhere nearby, we can meet so I can give it to you.</p><p>Chloe adds a picture of the bag, so the stranger believes her. The thought that someone malevolent could be waiting for her if she meets them for the exchange crosses her mind for a second but then she shrugs it off and decides that if her bag belongs to a respectable woman, the other one probably does too.</p><p><strong> North: </strong> Oh damn thank god! I thought someone was pranking me when I went to get my stuff out of my bag this morning. Where are you at right now? </p><p>Chloe sends North the location of her school and waits.</p><p><strong> North: </strong> Sorry but I can't come all the way across town right now unless you really really need that bag. Got work to do. I go to lunch at 12 though. Maybe we can meet then? </p><p>Chloe hesitates for a moment. Everyone has always taught her not to meet strangers she met online in private. But she needs her things back. It's going to be hard enough to find replacements for the crafting paper, stickers and glitter she packed to help her 3rd graders make beautiful valentine’s cards. She just hopes the other person suggests a public place so she doesn't need to worry too much about meeting them. </p><p><strong> Chloe: </strong> That sounds lovely. Where would we meet? </p><p>North sends the location to what looks like a sweet little café and a wave of relief washes over Chloe. It is a public place. And one that looks like she can grab a nice sandwich for lunch on the way too. Slowly but steadily the tension drains out of her. As horrible as this day started, Chloe has a feeling it's going to get a lot better soon.</p><p> </p><p>Chloe ends class a little earlier than usual, much to the excitement of her students, then jumps onto the first subway she can manage to get to the small café North suggested. By the time she is halfway there, the blonde is a bundle of excitement yet again. Despite everything, she is a little worried about meeting North. Granted, her biggest worry right now is that they will miss each other and won't meet at all but right after that comes North being rude or upset with her. </p><p>Looking out the window, Chloe tries to distract herself by looking at the houses and people passing by. It helps a little but by the time she gets off the subway at the right stop and walks the rest of the way to the café, she gets nervous all over again. </p><p>When Chloe steps into the café, she wonders how she will ever find North. The place is packed, and people keep moving around and pushing the blonde so it's hard to even stay in one place to look around for anyone, who might have the same bag Chloe carries around. In an effort to make herself recognizable, Chloe clutches the bag to her chest and wonders why they didn't think to exchange any pictures so they could find each other more easily.</p><p>But in the end, Chloe doesn't need to wait long for North to find her. She has only stood by the door with the bag clutched to her chest for about a minute when a woman with long, strawberry blond hair walks up to her, waving a bag in her hand that looks exactly like the one Chloe is carrying. She is wearing a faded grey shirt under a black leather jacket and ripped jeans and relief and a new kind of excitement wash over Chloe all at once.</p><p>"Hey", North says, dangling the blue bag in her hand, "I think this is yours." </p><p>"And this is yours", Chloe replies and they exchange bags. She smiles and clutches her own bag tightly to her chest. She really doesn't need a scare like this ever again. </p><p>"Not gonna lie, I really thought I'd gone mad for a bit when I opened that bag this morning", North says with a warm laugh, "I just sat there and asked myself what demon possessed me to put a bunch of cutesy sticker sheets and crafting paper into my bag." </p><p>Chloe chuckles and recalls her own shock at opening the bag and finding just the bare essentials for some writing in it. How she got through her school day without any of the things she had prepared, she still isn't sure.</p><p>"I'm sorry I made you worry so much", she says nevertheless but North waves it off.</p><p>"It's fine. We both messed up", she states with an easy smile, "I'm never going to leave my bag unattended ever again, though."</p><p>"Me neither", Chloe agrees with a nervous chuckle. Then, silence falls between them for a minute.</p><p>"Anyway, I better get going", North says eventually, "I'm sure you have very important business to do with those stickers and glitter and crafting paper." </p><p>"Wait", Chloe blurts out because suddenly she doesn't want North to leave. She seems nice and makes the blonde feel giddy. And somewhere deep-down Chloe still thinks she should make it up to her in some way. "Let me at least buy you a coffee. For your troubles."</p><p>Chloe can feel herself blushing when North regards her with a raised brow and an amused smirk.</p><p>"Fine", she agrees nonetheless and a nervous smile spreads across Chloe's face again, "But only if you let me buy you a coffee too. I told you: we both messed up. It's only fair."</p><p>Chloe wants to argue but she feels there's no way she's going to convince North that it's fine and that she doesn't have to buy her anything. North seems headstrong and like she loves arguing and Chloe isn't really good at either. So she nods and follows North to the counter.</p><p>A few minutes later, they sit at a small table in the back of the café. There's a big chai latte with some extra cinnamon flavor in front of Chloe and a plain black coffee and a chocolate muffin that Chloe insisted on buying so the prices for their drinks are somewhat even in front of North. The blonde is happy they're sitting together like this but she feels like she should say something and she has no idea what to say.</p><p>"So, what do you do with all that red and pink paper and the stickers?", North asks eventually, "I tried playing detective a little but I couldn't think of any job, where you would need that stuff on the regular." </p><p>"I'm an elementary school teacher", Chloe answers with a laugh, "We were going to make valentine's cards today. That's why I carried all that paper and the stickers around."</p><p>"Oh damn. And I ruined that", North sighs and looks guilty for a split-second, "Tell your kids I'm sorry I kept them from making valentine’s cards."</p><p>"It's fine, don't worry", Chloe assures her, trying not to think of the panicked 15 minutes she spent searching through all drawers in the teachers’ lounge trying to find an adequate replacement for the things in her bag, "We found some paper and stickers around school and the kids still made some really gorgeous cards." </p><p>North nods and takes a sip of her coffee. </p><p>"What do you do, then?", Chloe asks a moment later, curious now that North knows about her job, "I could probably guess if I'd looked at your stuff but I promise I didn't do that."</p><p>"I'm a journalist", North tells her and suddenly Chloe is intrigued, "It's really boring most of the time. I fight with a lot of guys, who think they know how to do my job better than me."</p><p>"That sounds very exciting!", Chloe insists and before she knows it, half an hour has passed with her listening to North tell stories of how she argued with her boss about an article she wants to publish or the latest weird interview she had to do. The blonde feels like she could listen to North all day and not get bored for one second. It's been a while since Chloe fell for someone so fast but she doesn't mind. North is strong and surely gets rude from time to time but Chloe just feels there's a softer side underneath that facade and she'd love to see that a lot more.</p><p>"Ah damn, I'm sorry but I really need to get back to work", North suddenly says after she checks her phone. She downs the rest of her coffee that must be cold by now and shoots Chloe an apologetic glance "This was fun but I really gotta go." </p><p>"Maybe we could do this again sometime", Chloe suggests before she can stop herself. But she really does want to see North again and part of her tells her it's a sign that this mix-up happened on this particular day and not any other. North looks at her with a raised brow, then breaks into a smile. </p><p>"Sure, why not", she agrees and Chloe can feel herself light up, "You already have my number so just text me whenever you feel like meeting up and I'll see when I have time." </p><p>"Sounds great", Chloe says and rises to her feet to properly say goodbye to North. Initially, she only wants to go in for a brief hug but then changes her mind halfway there and adds a quick kiss to North's cheek to the mix. It's harmless and closer to what Chloe does with her friends when they meet than anything romantic but when she pulls back, North still looks a little flustered. Chloe thinks that's a look on her she could get used to. </p><p>North smiles softly, then waves and leaves. Chloe stays behind for a little bit longer, sipping her now cold chai latte and thinks that with how horrible it started, this day really turned out much better than she could have ever thought. </p><p> </p><p>That night, Chloe sits down at her kitchen table with the leftover crafting paper and the stickers and makes her own valentine's card for North. She mails it to the address of the online newspaper listed on North's business card and when she receives a barrage of heart emojis via text the next day, she starts thanking whatever power made North and her switch their bags this fateful valentine's day. Because it might have started with a scary mix-up but Chloe is pretty sure it ended with her finding her soulmate.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you liked it!<br/>Comments and kudos are much appreciated! Or say hi on twitter @NoiseStrangest !</p></blockquote></div></div>
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